


Last Times

by KellyJade



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:12:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2827862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KellyJade/pseuds/KellyJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura goes through a lot of 'last times'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Last Times

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Carmilla or anything related. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Danny is the last one to drive her home.

The radio plays Top 40 as they pull off the highway, and Laura directs Danny for two lefts and a right, and there is the house she grew up in, with her Dad's beat up Chevy parked in the driveway.

It's not a long visit – Danny shakes her father's hand and Laura picks up some books and clothes, and the two of them wander into the living room. The sight is strange – Danny standing in her childhood home, looking at her baby pictures, long fingers trailing over edges of the frames, red hair clashing with the orange trim of the carpet.

Laura looks at her and thinks briefly about how things could have been different. Maybe she would have brought Danny home to meet her father as a new girlfriend. And it wouldn't have had to be the last time.

But Danny is not. And it is.

When Laura tells her father goodbye and I love you, her voice trembles, and if he notices something strange he doesn't let on, just tells her I love you too, stay warm, stay safe. Danny's hands are firm on her shoulders as they walk back out to the car.

Laura cries on the way back to school, and Danny holds her hand over the gear shift.

xxx

Lafontaine is the last one to buy her a drink.

Laura wasn't planning on this happening tonight – but she and Laf had gone to see a movie, a comedy, and walking home Laf points at a cute looking pub and Laura thinks, why not?

They sit at the bar and it's a Tuesday, so it's not crowded or loud, but not empty either. Laura doesn't drink beer, so Laf orders one pint of an IPA and one sugary drink – Laura doesn't know what's in it, but as she takes a sip it's fruity and sweet, and that works for her.

They talk about nothing serious for a while, about the movie, about class. And then there is a bit of a lull, and Laura catches the look on Laf's face and she knows that look. "You want to know when," she says, and it's not really a question.

Laf lifts a shoulder in a small shrug, face carefully blank, not giving too much away. "You know I support what you're going to do, and I understand why. I just wanted to know… Yeah. When."

Laura takes a sip of the fruity cocktail again, and that's when she decides. "This is my last drink," she says.

Laf lets out a slow breath. "So. It'll be soon then."

And Laura nods, and she thinks about when Danny drove her back to school and she had cried. She resolves not to cry again. "Very soon."

They leave the bar not long after that, and Lafontaine walks her to her dorm room, squeezing her shoulder in a fond goodbye before walking away.

xxx

Kirsch is the last one to share a meal with her.

Laura knows it is going to be her last meal. She sits in her dorm room and ponders just tearing open a package of cookies and calling it a day, but she figures that maybe just this once, she should make a real effort.

Danny had been over recently enough, and had left Kirsch's number – for emergencies.

Laura calls it.

They meet at a regular student haunt – a restaurant just next to campus. Kirsch looks the same as he always does – tall, lanky, puppy dog grin. They go inside and seat themselves.

There's a moment where Laura looks at the menu and she thinks that she may not be able to stomach any food at all. She is nervous. Her stomach is filled with butterflies already.

She hasn't planned on telling Kirsch the significance of this meal. She did not go into any detail over the phone, just mentioned she'd love to meet for dinner. But as she looks up at him, about to ask what he thinks she should order, she sees a look in his eye. And she knows that he is definitely not as dumb as people seem to think he is.

"Damn, little lady," he says quietly, and his smile is just a bit sad. "Tonight's the night, huh?"

Laura's answering smile is apologetic. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

He shrugs. "Not an issue. I don't know… is it hard to talk about?"

It's a good question, and Laura pauses before answering. "It was. But… I've accepted it more now. And I'm ready."

Kirsch nods, and the look in his eyes is almost proud. "Good for you," he says.

Laura almost loses it then, almost gives up on her carefully maintained embargo against tears, but she manages just to smile and look down at her menu again. "I think I'm going to get a burger."

She does, with fries and coleslaw, and Kirsch gets a double with cheese.

When they finish, they stand outside the restaurant for a moment. "Aren't you going to offer to walk the helpless co-ed home?" Laura asks, raising an eyebrow.

But Kirsch just shakes his head. "I think you're pretty far from helpless, Laura." And he smiles again. "You're going to be just fine."

As Laura walks home it is dark and cloudless, and she can see the stars.

xxx

Perry is the last one to hug her.

The plan was to go straight back to Room 307 and be alone for a little while – Laura is starting to feel very removed from her fellow students, those bright faced kids who will go to bed tonight and wake up tomorrow the same.

She should have known Perry would not accept that course of action.

When Laura sees the redheaded Floor Don standing in front of her door, arms crossed impatiently, she almost smiles. "Laf told you it was soon, huh," she asks, as Perry notices her.

A sneakered toe taps nervously on the floorboards. "Yes," she replies curtly. "Although *how* soon is apparently not something you've decided to share?"

Laura sighs, taking her keys from her pockets. "Would you like to come in?"

Perry just huffs impatiently, and follows her into the room. It's not clean – of course it isn't – but Perry doesn't immediately make the beds like she usually does. "Were you even going to tell me?"

Laura sits on her bed. "Perry, I did tell you. I told everyone this was going to happen."

The Floor Don wrings her hands, sitting down in Laura's computer chair, eyes wild. "You didn't tell us it would be so soon, Laura! You said *eventually*."

Laura smiles sadly. "I'm not getting any younger, Perr."

"You're only twenty!"

Laura knew this would not be an easy conversation. Maybe that's why she didn't seek Perry out – didn't want her to fight with this just like she knew she would. "I've made my decision," she says gently. "I've known for a long time now. And I'm ready to do this, Perry. I want to do this."

There's a poignant pause, and a little bit of the fire goes out of Perry's eyes. "When, Laura? At least tell me when."

And Laura takes a deep breath. She owes her friend this much at least. Her voice is soft, careful. "It's tonight."

Laura half expects Perry to scream, to cry. She definitely expects her to bolt up from her chair, panicked and desperate. She wouldn't be surprised by denial, either. Maybe Perry will just shut down, just get up and leave, just ignore the inevitability of what is happening.

None of this happens. All that happens is the look in the redhead's eyes becomes very soft and very serious. And she doesn't say anything, she just gets up from her chair and embraces Laura like a daughter.

Laura isn't sure how long the hug lasts, she knows only that it is warm, and comforting, and she kind of never wants to let go. And maybe it would be better if she didn't, if she just scrapped the whole plan and stayed up late with Perry drinking cocoa and being scolded for eating too many cookies…

But the thought is fleeting. And Laura gently disentangles herself from her friend, and looks into her eyes, and says "I need to do this."

And Perry's smile is like Laura remembers her mother's smile. "I know, sweetheart."

When Perry leaves, Laura can still smell her perfume. Flowery, and like home.

xxx

Carmilla is the last one.

She comes home past midnight, smelling like smoke and rain, eyes dark but lighter somehow, when they rest on Laura. "Hey," she says simply, her husky voice low.

Laura had been lying down, but she gets to her feet now, and she moves to Carmilla and it's not an embrace, not quite. Carmilla touches her cheek, and then her lips, and they're kissing and somehow the nervous knot in Laura's stomach loosens a bit.

They pull apart, and although she doesn't voice the question, Carmilla's eyes are full of it. "Not you too," Laura mumbles into her lips.

The vampire moves backwards a touch to be able to search Laura's face. "I just want to make sure – be absolutely sure – "

But Laura cuts her off with a swift kiss. She has been through this moment every day in her head since they pulled Carmilla from that pit, since the moment she realized she had a second shot at being with her, really being with her.

Carmilla pulls back from the kiss first. "Was that you hoping to distract me, Cupcake?"

Laura smiles softly. "This week, I had a lot of last times." The vampire is silent, and so Laura goes on. "I went through moments that I'll never go through in the same way again. And it was heart wrenching, and I cried, and it hurt." She kisses Carmilla again, once, lightly, on her lips. "But nothing would hurt more than not doing this. I've had my last times. And I'm ready. Now."

There's a long, long moment of silence as the two of them stand there, eyes locked, fingers entwined. And then in a sudden movement that is a bit too fast to be human, Carmilla lifts Laura off her feet, and moves to her bed, laying the girl down gently. "I love you," she says firmly, dark hair in her eyes.

Laura nods. She knows. "See you soon."

Carmilla's smile is a bit twisted. "I love you," she repeats in a whisper.

And Laura shuts her eyes as fangs sink into her neck.

xxx

Carmilla is the first to kiss her when she wakes, new.

Her lips taste like forever.


End file.
